


The Claws of a Wolf

by Mkayswritings



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [16]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Blood, Blood and Injury, Healing, Huntsman - Freeform, Infection, Injury, Injury Recovery, M/M, Magic, Major Character Injury, Not Beta Read, Reunions, Royalty, Tumblr Prompt, Warlock Magnus Bane, dire wolf, infected wound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22063975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mkayswritings/pseuds/Mkayswritings
Summary: Infected WoundAlec is the eldest of the Lightwood family who left to become a huntsman instead of following the path that his parents wanted to take. Of course, that path lead him to a familiar face. Magnus ends up helping him after one of his injuries from fighting against a monster gets badly infected causing the feverish state and murmurs that escape from Alec.the-wandering-whumper prompt: tat: weak, feverish and barely conscious whumpee getting gently wrestled out of their shirt so that caregiver can tend to their wounds if they have any (stupid question, ofc they do and one of them is badly infected probably the cause of the high fever) and get their temperature brought back down and regulated. Whumpee is barely responsive and lacks the strength to hold himself upright so it's a struggle.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1095834
Kudos: 42





	The Claws of a Wolf

There had always been a burden on Alec’s shoulders since he was the oldest out of his three siblings, mostly because of the expectations that his parents and probably everyone else had for him. It was always the same when it came to his parents expecting all four of their children despite Jace being adopted since the destruction of the Herondale line, enemies that had wiped out the family while it was a miracle that Jace survived while the families were allies. That was the main reason why Jace was brought into their family as he had arrived at their home in the middle of the night with an escort and a letter explaining everything. That was how the Lightwood family gained a fourth child, but the expectations stayed as all of them were raised to be the proper royal. Isabelle was supposed to be a proper royal lady even though she did secretly train with her brothers which would have been frowned upon by Robert and Maryse, but their mentor thought that she should at least be able to defend herself. She was stubborn though despite the decisions that obviously would be made once it was time for Isabelle to marry into a royal family, a decision that she wouldn’t be able to make for herself. She knew what she wanted even if their parents wouldn’t agree to the terms that she had, but Isabelle was determined to stand up for herself once the time came to be that proper lady of whatever man was chosen. 

Alec, Jace, and Max had to deal with lessons on how to be a proper ruler while with Alec being the oldest, he’d obviously take the throne first then Jace and Max afterwards if one of them fell in battle. The lessons were hard, but Alexander conquered them being raised as a warrior and the next king of the Lightwood family, he had other ideas though. He wanted to make decisions for himself growing tired of hearing the same thing from his parents again and again, he knew what they wanted for him, but it wasn’t what he wanted. He’d used to be willing to listen to them, but eventually he decided that he had enough of their ideals and the role that he was supposed to take. The role could wait or it could even be passed to Jace, he’d probably make a better ruler than Alec would and he could tell that it was something his adopted brother wanted. He was more than willing to step out of the way and let Jace rule over the land that belonged to the Lightwoods. There was another calling that he was after, and one that he was determined to reach for while there was going to be a lot of arguing with his parents because of his decision. He knew that, but he wasn’t going to let his parents stop him while Alec knew that he did have the support of his siblings since it was something that he had talked about with them many times before. He just needed to wait for the right time to get the chance to fill the role that he wanted. Once he was a skilled enough fighter at least since there was still much for the brunette to learn. 

Time soon did pass before Alexander finally thought that he was ready to leave home and travel the world helping people. He wanted to help people as a Huntsman knowing that there were many people out there who needed help besides he didn’t want to be the type of ruler that stood by and did nothing. There had been many times when he didn’t agree to how his parents handled things, he didn’t want to rule like they did which might of been another reason why he decided to venture out. Alec didn’t want to be like them and the determination was there to make it clear on what he thought with the knowledge that they would be displeased, they always are when someone goes against their decisions. 

Alexander had enough though, he wasn’t going to follow their orders nor agree with what they had to say. It was his time to make his own choices and no one was going to get in his way. 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Time had passed since Alexander left his home while it wasn’t hard to recall what his parents had said when he told them that he was leaving as a Huntsman. The words were harsh, but Alec had already made his decision by that point and he refused to take no for an answer. That was when his travels started leaving his childhood home behind with nothing, but what he carried with him and the loyal horse that had been gifted to him. He moved from town to town finding work along the way dealing with monsters and people that appeared in his path with the praises that followed. sometimes , he was given money for his work, a free meal, or a place to stay depending on how grateful the people were. Of course, Alec was more than willing to take a free meal or a place to stay instead of money as there had been many times when he refused to take money from people, especially if they had a family to take care of. That was because of him being an older brother who always looked after his siblings and he could relate on how difficult it was to care for a big family, he wanted them to keep their money for the sake of their families. 

The people were always thankful to Alexander while it was surprising to them that he was a royal, a royal who obviously cared more about others than himself. He was more than willing to put others first and him last, something that he continued to show throughout his travels which probably helped with the feeling of loyalty that was there. Their support and kindness was enough for the Lightwood son, it probably showed easily to anyone that he was different from other royal families who lives across the land. The determination was there on how he didn’t want to be like other rulers who only cared for themselves when the people were more important. Alexander never stayed in one place for long, he only stayed as long as it takes him to complete the job that was thrown his way since there would be many others towns and people that needed help. Sometimes it would be weeks or possibly a month depending on what he was dealing with, but he usually was gone by the next day like he had never been there in the first place. Leaving only the stories behind that the villagers would obviously tell anyone who was willing to listen. It wasn’t a big surprise that stories and rumors started to spread about the royal-blooded Huntsman who was going around the town taking care of any problems that might appear along the way. There were times when those stories and rumors reached a town before Alexander even arrived there depending on how long it took him to get there or if he had to help someone else before his arrival. 

The next town that the exhausted Huntsman arrived in was pretty quiet for the most part while people were wandering about the streets, trading or just going about their business. Alec couldn’t help, but notice that the town seemed a bit off as there was a feeling of tension and worry that filled the air. It was causing him to wonder if something was happening here, something that obviously had the villagers terrified while the source of the fear could be anything. Maybe he could find someone to talk to if they were willing to tell him what was happening here, it was worth a shot to take since others have been afraid to tell him anything in the past. Mostly because he was royalty or dealing with an unfriendly bunch of people who were willing to hurt anyone that might spill the truth. He just needed to find the right person as going to the tavern for food and drink would be the best place to get information because of how many people gathered there on a daily basis. He just needed to find it first. 

Turning his horse, Mittanya down the road, he made his way toward the tavern with the hope that he could get any information he needed about what possibly might be happening within the streets of this town. There were a few signs that a creature might be causing havoc because of the claw marks that he saw while riding down the road, the unknown was where on what might be the cause though. The creature could possibly be the source of the fear unless it was long gone by now then his hunch might be wrong on what could be causing that feeling of tension and worry that he felt. A feeling that seemed to linger while the approached the tavern that was sitting in the center of the town. A tavern that seemed to be busy by the sounds that were coming from the inside of it which wasn’t too surprising to him especially if it was a popular place for anyone to come to. 

Alec claimed an empty table listening to the sound of chatter and clinking of drinks that surrounded him, the atmosphere was noisy though. He glanced around the room though taking in the faces that were around him before he was approached by one of the ladies that were walking around 

“What can I get ya, sir?” 

Food and drink was ordered as Alexander listened to the conversations that surrounded him, there was a chance he could hear what was happening around here if anything was happening at all. He didn’t know if he would be able to get the information that he needed while asking the barmaid probably would give the answers that he needed. He knew that they heard everything from the people that came and went from this place plus since they did live in the town which made things easier on his part. It wouldn’t be too hard to get the answers that the Huntsman sought to help the people that lived here and make it safe for anyone that visited this place. 

Once the food and drink was placed in front of him, he decided to ask her his question if she was willing to answer it. He hoped that she would be anyways since it wasn’t hard to notice that she seemed scared as well. 

“I do have a question since I noticed the atmosphere when entering the town, has anything strange happened here? Or a threat?” 

Hesitation crossed her face for a moment before he was finally able to learn what was happening in this town, a threat that he could take care of because of the destruction that it was causing. 

“It’s a large wolf that many around here are claiming to be a Dire Wolf because of its size and the destruction that it has been left behind. Livestock have gone missing and people killed if they come across the beast, it lives in the forest surrounding the town.” 

A Dire Wolf was always a cause for concern especially when they got close to a town and started killing livestock and people, he knew that it needed to be stopped though. It wasn’t the first time that Alexander had encountered one, mostly by pure chance during his travels. They usually didn’t cause much trouble as long as they were left alone since the woods are their home, but this one seems to be the source of the trouble. He knew that he couldn’t leave this large wolf to continue causing problems for the people who lived here especially with the lives that were at stake. Alec had to be ready though figuring that the wolf was smart with how it was surviving, he would make sure that he was ready for the hunt and the fight that would follow it. 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Leaves crunched underneath Alexander’s feet as he tracked through the forest to try and find the creature that called this place home. He gathered all the information that he possibly could about the Dire Wolf and where it normally was seen around the woods. Footprints had dug into the ground telling him the direction where the wolf was headed as there was a chance it was looking for something, it most likely was hunting for its next meal. A small breath escaped him before he pulled himself back into his horses’ saddle to track the path that laid out in front of him, hoping that he could catch up with the beast. If it was close since the large wolf would be able to travel quickly because of its long legs, he was going to have to work hard to catch up with it. 

Nudging Mittanya forward, the path was followed as the Huntsman kept his eyes wondering for any movement of the wolf that he was looking for, he didn’t want to get caught off guard. A mistake that he had learned many times from all the lessons taught growing up. 

The trail led him deeper into the woods while he hoped that he came across the place that the large wolf called home, the den that stood in front of him seemed big enough for a Dire Wolf to hide in. Fingers rested against his bow ready to draw an arrow just in case if the beast decided to make an appearance, that was when the sound of growling caught his attention. Alec made sure to send Mittanya away since he didn’t want his horse to get caught in the fight that was about to take place, she was his only way to get back to the town quickly. He wasn’t looking forward to a long trek back to the town by foot, especially if claws and teeth decided to dig into him. Something that Alexander would be trying to avoid during the obvious fight that was about to happen. 

Drawing the bow back, Alec followed the sounds of the wolf’s movements that were getting closer to him. He let out a breath though to calm himself knowing that this fight most likely wasn’t going to be an easy one. 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

The day had been busy for Magnus dealing with the ones who reached out to him for help from random ailments to anything else that might be troubling them. It was the only way for him to make a living since he was forced to leave the place that he once called home. A place that he was unable to return to, no matter how much he wanted to because of the person that he cared about the most. His precious Alexander who knew his feelings well, feelings that they were both able to share with each other even if it was in secret. Mostly in secret because the disapproval that was there from his parents while he knew that Alec was going to be person to cause change among his royal bloodlines. A day that he most likely would be unable to see now because of how he was forced out since lies were spread around about him, lies that were untrue. 

Hope was the only thing that Magnus had now when it came to the royal families since they were all the same to him, they only cared about themselves. No care about the people as they ruled for themselves and took whatever they wanted without a care in the world. He thought that Alexander was different when they first met, the type of person willing to put others first and himself afterwards. Maybe it was because he had siblings or another matter, Magnus did not know, but he knew that the world needed someone like the oldest Lightwood sibling to change the world of the royals. That day was something that he was willing to wait for if it was going to make an appearance at all, but waiting can get tiring especially with how long he has been waiting already. 

The sound of the door opening caught his attention before Roysa appeared with a concerned look across her face, something obviously was wrong because of how worried she seemed 

“I don’t mean to interrupt your busy day, Magnus, but I need your help. The Huntsman that took care of the Dire Wolf has a terrible wound and it has gotten worse. I don’t know what else to do to help him, he’s feverish and struggling to fight the infection.” 

Giving Roysa a reassuring smile, he rested his hand on her shoulder giving a gentle squeeze 

“I will help him, let me gather what I need and we will go to him, okay?” 

Roysa nodded before he went to gather everything that he would need to help this Huntsman fight the infection and the fever that loomed over him. Magnus was going to try his hardest to help him knowing that the people here would be said if his life was lost. He knew what to do though as curing one from infection and fever was easy for him, he had cured many before who was suffering from the same fate as this Huntsman was. It probably would take him days to help him recover, but he was going to help him since he didn’t like it when people suffered whether it be from ailments to not being able to take care of their families. 

Roysa’s house was quiet when they entered while the sound of someone’s voice could be heard, it was a low murmur making it difficult to hear the words that were being spoken. 

“He’s probably dreaming again, fever dreams that have caused him to talk in his sleep. I think he might know you.” 

Curiosity graced his face at her words as Magnus couldn’t think of any Huntsman that he might know, there were plenty of people that he met along the way though. Maybe he ran into them at one point during his travels, that was a guess on his part because of all the places that he saw along the way. 

“Maybe he does, I don’t recall ever meeting a Huntsman, but who knows if we did cross paths.” 

The thick wooden door opened with a creak revealing the injured Huntsman and the blood-stained bandages that were wrapped around his chest hiding the injury from Magnus’ eyes. The bag was placed down before he did pull the blanket back, hands moving to remove the bandages carefully knowing that they had to be in a lot of pain. Deep claw marks rested against their chest which moved down with each painful breath that they took and the infection that lingered in the wound, it didn’t look good, but he knew that he could help. 

“Did he tell you his name? Or anything about him?” 

Magnus started to dig through the bag while he needed to work on getting the infection cleared up as Roysa told him everything that she knew about the injured Huntsman 

“A few things, his name is Alec Lightwood, he’s been traveling for awhile and his horse is named Mittanya. He didn’t tell me a lot, but he had plenty of stories to tell about his travels though.” 

Hands froze for a moment at the mention of his name before glancing back at the murmuring form that was laying on the bed, this Huntsman was his Alexander. A kiss was placed against his feverish forehead before his fingers stroke his hair back gently 

“You’re going to be okay, Alexander. I’m here to help you, I promise.” 

Magnus then went to work quickly determined to help him beat this infection from the terrible wound that the Dire Wolf left behind. 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Hands could be felt moving against Alec’s feverish skin as he was in and out of consciousness as the murmuring words continued to escape him. The touch was soothing and gentle with the voice that followed, but it was hard to tell what really was going on

“Ssh.... it’s okay, Alexander. You’re not alone, I’m here, darling.”

The voice lingered as the hands were touching his fevered skin at random times and the strange sound of rustling that were heard once in awhile. There was something familiar about the hands and voice, but Alexander was unable to recall from where because of his delirious state. He felt safe though because of the soothing words and presence that continued to speak to him with the warmth that they were giving 

“...ander... Alexander, I need you to sit up for a few minutes.” 

The voice roused him slightly while a thumb was gently running over his flushed cheek trying to wake him up from his fevered slumber. It took a few minutes for those hazed-covered eyes to open, glancing up at the person who was leaning over him slightly 

“Magnus....?” 

A reassuring smile graced the Warlock’s lips placing a gentle kiss against Alec’s forehead to give the comfort that the exhausted Huntsman needed 

“Yes darling, it’s me.” 

Alec nodded before Magnus helped him sit up while his strength wasn’t there because of the fever and injury that he was fighting against, but he was recovering. A lot of his memories were a blur from when his consciousness came and went during the times that he was asleep, a fever that hadn’t gone away just yet though. More time was needed for the Huntsman to recover from the fight against the Dire Wolf as Magnus knew that he was going to be okay, the wound was healing and the infection disappearing. It probably would be a few more days before Alexander would be able to sleep properly without those feverish murmurs escaping from his lips. 

He rested against the pillows that Magnus had propped up since he was barely able to sit up right now, hopefully that was going to change over the next few days. The feeling of being weak was the one thing that Alec always hated, he was an older brother and a Huntsman. He couldn’t afford to be weak even if the cause of it was from an injury, there were people who needed help, people who needed to be protected from the dangers that exist out there. 

Hands grasped at the shirt gently helping Alexander out of it since the shirt was covered with sweat and hiding the bandages that laid underneath. Magnus needed to change them and see how well the injury was healing as it has been a few hours since he last checked the wound. The shirt was removed carefully to avoid causing Alexander too much pain, he found the edge of the bandage though before starting to unwrap it from his chest. The bandages were removed revealing the healing claw marks that would obviously leave a scar once they were fully healed, not the first time that a scar was left behind from a fight. 

Golden eyes glanced over the wound which was finally starting to scab over and heal as the infection was clearing up also. The changes in the wound was a relief to Magnus, he was concerned when he first saw it and the state that Alexander was in, but things were looking for the better now. Grabbing the medicine, he moved to place it over the injury once more while checking to see how much it had healed already. The wound was deep as he knew that it would take more time for them to close and leave scars that obviously would follow. 

“You should be healed soon, I just hope that fever of yours breaks soon. I don’t like that it is still so high.” 

Magnus took ahold of Alec’s hand and a rag to wipe the sweat away from his forehead after the fresh bandages and shirt to keep the cold away that might come during the night. He was going to stay by the Huntsman’s side until he was better while the two would have much to discuss because of the time that has passed since he was forced out of the place that he once called home. It would be impossible to separate them now while Magnus was determined to stay by Alec’s side now, he hoped that he could convince him by allowing him to go with him when it was time for him to move on. It was one of the many things that they would have to talk out once his precious Alexander was better though, a talk to have when he wasn’t delirious with fever. 

Placing a gentle kiss on top of his head, he stroked his hair back gently before wiping away the sweat once more 

“Rest Alexander, I’ll be here when you wake up and hopefully fever free by morning.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Malec fans, I hope you enjoy reading this prompt from my bingo card. I decided to write an AU for it instead and I was in the mood for some fantasy stuff for the boys since I haven't written much for them that isn't related to the series. Anyways looking forward to reading comments left behind! Also have a Happy New Year! 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr, twitter, and instagram under mkayswritings.


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